Cooling bed



Jan. 7, 1969 Filed Feb. 2, 1967 FIG K. A. ECK

COOLING BED Sheet g KARL A. EGK

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 7, 1969 K. A. ECK 3,420,357

' COOLING BED Filed Feb. 2. 1967 Sheet 3 of 2 F I IQ KARL A. EOK

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,420,357 COOLING BED Karl A. Eck,Reading, Pa., assignor to Des-Eng-Con Corporation, Reading, Pa. FiledFeb. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 613,537 U.S. Cl. 198-219 Int. Cl. B65g 25/04 6Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cooling beds of the type whichcomprise a carryover bar section having a plurality of stationarynotched bar members which receive work bars from a run-in table sectionthat adjoins the carryover bar section at the receiving side thereof; aplurality of interconnected notched transfer bar members that are moved(a) upwardly and longitudinally in one direction to transfer work barssequentially from one set of notches to the adjacent set in thestationary notched bar members, and (b) downwardly and longitudinally inthe opposite direction to return to the original position such that thenotched transfer bar members transverse an elliptical path tosequentially transfer work bars transversely across the carryoversection to the discarge side therof; and transfer means for impartingthe aforementioned elliptical movement to the notched transfer barmembers in order to impart such an elliptical or circular movement tothe notched transfer bar members. In order to impart such an ellipticalmovement to the notched transfer bar members it is necessary that thetransfer means support the notched transfer bar members andthereforethat the transfer means be fabricated from relatively massivecomponents. This massiveness of the transfer means, however, complicatesthe design of the mechanism employed to impart an elliptical movement.Consequently the cost of the transfer means represents a major portionof the expense of a cooling bed carryover bar section.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a cooling bed carryoverbar section with transfer means of novel design. A further object is toprovide transfer means having a simplified construction which impartselliptical or circular movement to notched transfer bar members, theseand other objects of this invention will become apparent from thefollowing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section of a cooling bed carryover barsection illustrating the transfer means of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical side view in elevation of the FIG. 1 cooling bedcarryover bar section, with portions appearing in cross section; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view in partial cross section of one of the operatingelements of the FIG. 1 cooling bed carryover bar section.

This invention relates to the mechanism for imparting elliptical orcircular periodic motion to the notched transfer bar section of acooling bed carryover bar section. This mechanism comprises means forimparting reciprocal vertical motion to the transfer bar section and3,428,357 Patented Jan. 7, 1969 means for imparting simultaneousreciprocal longitudinal motion to the transfer bar section. The verticalmotion imparting means comprises left and right hand vertical actuatingmeans positioned on opposite sides of the carryover bar section andseparately actuable in unison. Each vertical actuating means mounts aroller adapted to carry a depending rail of the transfer bar section.The longitudinal motion imparting means comprises a pivot assemblyadapted to reciprocally shift the transfer bar section on the rollersregardless of the vertical position of the transfer bar section andindependently of the vertical actuating means. 'In the usualinstallation several sets comprising a left and a right hand verticalactuating means and a longitudinal actuating means will be spaced alongthe course of the carryover bar, e.g., at 20-foot intervals with thein-line actuating means drivingly interconnected in the usual manner.

As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, a typical cooling bed carryover barsection for use with the present invention comprises a plurality ofnotched stationary bar members 10 supported at their end sections ontransverse stationary left and right hand I-beams 12 and 14 which inturn are supported from a foundation by bearing stands 16 and 18, and aplurality of notched transfer bar members 20 supported at their endsections on transverse left and right hand transfer 'I-beams 22 and 24which are stiffened at spaced intervals by longitudinal separatorI-beams 26 extending therebetween.

The transfer means 30 of this invention comprises left and right handactuating means 32 and 34 for imparting vertical motion to the notchedtransfer bar members 20. Each vertical actuating means comprises anactuating member 35 that is pivotally mounted to the respective bearingstand by a bearing assembly 44 which enclose-s a pin 46 for pivotalmovement about a horizontal axis. Each actuating member 35 comprises acounterweight lever arm 48 on which rests a counterweight 50, a drivelever arm 52 for attachment to a reciprocating connecting rod or rods56, and a transfer 58. The transfer arm 58 of each actuating memberpivotally mounts a roller housing 60 at an upper end section thereof bya bearing assembly 62 which encloses a pin 64 extending between parallelwalls of such upper end section. Each roller housing 60 is maintained invertical alignment during vertical movement by an equalizing link 66pivotally attached to the respective bearing stand 16, 18 and rollerhousing 60 such that a parallelogram relationship exists bet-ween thecomponents 58, 60 and 66. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower end section ofeach roller housing 60 is inwardly offset so that each respectiveequalizing link 66 clears the respective bearing stand 16 or 18. Theupper end section of each roller housing 60, above the pin 64, comprisesa yoke having upstanding legs 67-68 between which a roller 69 isjournal-mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis orientedperpendicularly to the transfer bar members 10 and 20. A rail member 70is attached to the underside of each transfer beam 22-24 and is providedwith an underside wear plate 71 that rides on the roller 69 between theside flanges thereof. Thus, the notched transfer bar members 20 arevertically supported and longitudinally movable on rollers 69.

The transfer means 30 of this invention also comprises longitudinalactuating means for imparting horizontal motion to the notched transferbar members 20. The longitudinal actuating means 80 comprises a verticalbearing rod 81 journal-mounted with a vertical shaft 82 of a bearingstand 83, and upper and lower pivot arms 84 and 85 attached to the upperand lower ends of bearing rod 81 perpendicularly to one another. Theouter end of the lower pivot arm 85 is suitably attached to areciprocating connecting rod 86 extending parallel with the connectingrods 56. The upper pivot arm 84 is attached to a connecting rod 87 bymeans of a ball and knuckle joint 88. The opposite end of connecting rod87 is attached to an appendage 89 of one of the transfer beams, beam 24in the figures, by means of another ball and knuckle joint 90. The pivotarms 84-85 are appropriately sized to transfer the desired amount ofreciprocal movement to connecting rod 87 from a given stroke ofconnecting rod 86.

The transfer means of this invention operates in the following manner.Connecting rods 56 are reciprocated in unison, as from a common powersource, thereby swinging the left and right hand actuating members 35about their pivot points 46 to vertically reciprocate the left and righthand roller housings 60. This vertical reciprocating movement istransferred to the transfer bar members through left and right handrollers 69, rail members 70 and transfer beams 22-24.

Simultaneously with the reciprocation of connecting rods 56, connectingrod 86 is reciprocated by a suitable power source. Reciprocal movementof connecting rod 86 is transferred to connecting rod 87 by meanslongitudinal actuating means 80. This longitudinal reciprocal movementis transferred to the transfer bar members 20 through appendage 89 andtransfer beam 24 such that rail members 70 roll back and forth on theirrespective rollers 69.

The simultaneous vertical and longitudinal reciprocal movement aresuperimposed to effect an elliptical or circular movement of thetransfer bar members 20. These reciprocal movements are timed, relativeto one another, such that the transfer bar members are shifted upwardlyand longitudinally forward to carry cooling stock from one set of fixednotches to an adjacent set, and are shifted downwardly andlongitudinally rearward to return to their original position. Becausethe connecting rod 87 is mounted in ball and socket joints, thelongitudinal reciprocal movement can occur without binding as thevertical reciprocal movement takes place.

It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood fromthe foregoing detailed description of the illustrated embodiment.Changes in the details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and it is accordinglyintended that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexedclaims be given the broadest interpretation to which the employedlanguage fairly admits.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusi-ve property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A cooling bed carryover bar section comprising a plurality of notchedstationary bar members; a fixed framework for supporting said stationarybar members; a plurality of notched transfer bar members alternatingwith said stationary bar members; a movable framework for supportingsaid transfer bar members; vertical actuating means positioned beneathsaid transfer bar member framework and on opposite sides thereof, eachvertical actuating means comprising an actuating member mounted forpivotal movement about a horizontal axis parallel to the longitudinalcourse of the transfer bar members, a roller housing pivotally connectedto said actuating member for raising and lowering in a verticallyaligned position, and a roller journal-mounted to said roller housingfor rotation about a horizontal axis aligned perpendicularly to thelongitudinal course of the transfer bar members; and longitudinalactuating means positioned beneath said transfer bar member framework,each longitudinal actuating means comprising a pivot assembly mountedindependently of said vertical actuating means and having a lever armpivoted about a vertical axis, and means interconnecting said lever armand said transfer bar member framework such that pivoting of said pivotassembly effects longitudinal movement of said transfer bar memberframework without binding as vertical reciprocal movement of saidtransfer bar member framework takes place with concommitant lateralmovement effected by the swinging action of said actuating member aboutits horizontal .pivot axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said roller is mounted verticallyabove the pivotal connection of said housing with the respectivevertical actuating means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means comprisesa connecting rod attached to said pivot assembly by a knuckle joint andattached to said transfer bar members by a knuckle joint such that saidtransfer bar members are longitudinally movable at any vertical positioneffected by said actuating means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fixed framework for supportingsaid stationary bar members includes bearing stands, and each actuatingmember is pivotally mounted to an adjacent bearing stand; and whereineach roller housing comprises an upper yoke having upstanding legsbetween which the respective roller is journal-mounted and a lower endsection inwardly offset, and wherein each vertical actuating meansincludes an equalizing link pivotally connected at one end to the lowerend section of the respective roller housing and pivotally connected atthe opposite end to the respective bearing stand.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherin said movable framework includes leftand right hand transfer beams supportedly carrying said transfer barmembers, and longitudinal separator beams extending between andstiffening said left and right hand transfer beams; and wherein railmembers are affixed to the underside of each transfer beam adjacent theends of said separator beams and supportably carried by the rollers ofsaid vertical actuating means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal actuating meanspivot assembly includes a vertical bearing rod, a vertical shaftjournal-mounting said vertical bearing rod, and wherein said lever armis fixedly secured to one end of said bearing rod, and including a pivotarm fixedly secured to the opposite end of said hearing rodperpendicularly to said lever arm, and a reciprocating connecting rodattached to the outer end of said pivot arm and extendingperpendicularly to the longitudinal course of the transfer bar members;and wherein said vertical actuating means includes reciprocatingconnecting rods, each attached to an actuating member and extendingparallel to the pivot arm connecting rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,128,651 4/1964 Peterson l982193,265,187 8/1966 Hein et al. 198-219 X FOREIGN PATENTS 395,618 7/1933Great Britain.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

M. L. AJEMAN, Assistant Examiner.

